COSMIC waveforms for Integrated Communication and Imaging

This paper introduces a new waveform design approach called COSMIC (Connectivity-Oriented Sensing Method for Imaging and Communication). The method enables the creation of radio images of the environment by applying an extended orthogonality condition to the waveforms. Unlike conventional systems that use time, frequency, or space multiplexing, COSMIC achieves orthogonality through algebraic precoding of the signals from all antennas. Additionally, COSMIC takes advantage of the fact that the imaging field of view is much smaller than the length of the transmitted signals, allowing the waveforms to carry communication data without disrupting the sensing function. Simulations show that COSMIC waveforms enable precise environmental imaging while maintaining good communication performance in terms of error rates.